Forgotten President of Honor

Many of us know Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR and Ronald Reagan--but do you know Grover Cleveland?

Grover Cleveland had the unique experience of serving two terms as president of the United States but not together! His first term was 1884-1888. Then he lost an election to Benjamin Harrison only to run and win again in the election of 1892 four years later.

Grover Cleveland was a Democrat who valued his honor. His appointments and policies were about what was constitutionally right--not what was politically right. He refused to twist policies into political favors. Once he was approached by members of his own party who suggested he remove a worthy Republican from a position and replace him with a friendly fellow Democrat. He refused. When solicitied to buy documents that were devastating to his political opponent, he bought the documents and then burned them in front of the solicitor there on the spot.

Cleveland had no tolerance for corruption. His persistence brought the out of control pension corruption to a screeching halt. Pensions were healthcare benefits paid by the gov't for veterans of the Civil War. But, when veterans of the Civil War were beginning to die off of age, the claims continued to grow!! Claims were being filed long after the war was over by people who hadn't fought in the war!! Congress knew how much time it took for the president to review each pension claim. So they would send all the pension claims to the Whitehouse for the president to sign late on Friday nights with the expectation he would be too tired/busy to review them all and just sign them. Once 400 claims were sent in one night. Cleveland grew tired of the 'pension game' and vetoed as many as possible. Congress eventually gave up and the Civil War pension scams came to a halt.

Cleveland was loyal to the gold standard and sought to reduce taxes. He considered himself a 'guardian of the peoples money'.

So, here is to a fair and honorable Democrat President who presided over the country with conservative principles and revered Constitutional ideals.

So when you think of honorable men and capable leaders like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Calvin Coolidge and Ronald Reagan--don't forget Grover Cleveland.

*A Patriots History of the United States pg 446-449